Florida 04/13/14 Seminole County: Officials are investigating a black bear attack that occurred in Lake Mary on April 12th around 8 p.m. Firefighters say they were called to a home at 1900 Brackenhurst Place after one of five bears rooting through trash at the residence attacked a woman identified as Terri Franna who was taken to a local hospital for treatment and later released. Wildlife officials say they have since put down four bears that did not appear to be fearful of humans, which is considered dangerous. The director of the state’s bear management programs said bears are looking for food this time of year and, if they can’t find it in your neighborhood, they’ll move on. – See http://www.clickorlando.com/news/woman-attacked-by-bear-in-lake-mary/25453094

Tularemia:

California 04/10/14 San Diego County: Officials have issued a warning to hikers and others who work or play in the great outdoors that a tick taken during routine monitoring in Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, an urban park in San Diego, has tested positive for tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever”. Ticks in the U.S. that can transmit the F. tularensis bacteria include the dog, wood and long star varieties. Deer flies can also transmit the bacteria. Tularemia can be very difficult to diagnose. It is a rare but potentially serious disease. During 2001-2010, a total of 1,208 cases were reported from a total of 47 states, but more than half of the total number of cases were in MO, AR, OK, MA, SD and KS. – See http://poway.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/county-urges-public-to-protect-against-ticks-after-tularemia-find-poway

Iowa 04/09/14 IA Dept of Natural Resources: Media Release – The first case of chronicwasting disease (CWD) in a wild Iowa deer has been confirmed. The deer was reported as harvested in Allamakee County during the first shotgun season in early December. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is currently working to obtain as much information as possible about the infected deer to implement its CWD response plan. “We have been testing for CWD in Iowa’s deer herd for more than a decade and are optimistic, given the extensive data we have collected, that we have caught this early,” said Chuck Gipp, DNR director. “The next step will be to focus our monitoring efforts in the area where the animal was harvested and work closely with local landowners and hunters to gather more information.” said Gipp.

Deer infected with CWD.

CWD is a neurological disease affecting primarily deer and elk. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion that attacks the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and lose bodily functions. Signs include excessive salivation, thirst and urination, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, listlessness and drooping ears and head. The only reliable test for CWD requires testing of lymph nodes or brain material. There is currently no evidence that humans can contract CWD by eating venison. However, the National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters do not eat the brain, eyeballs or spinal cord of deer and that hunters wear protective gloves while field dressing game and boning out meat for consumption. Prior to the positive detection in Iowa, CWD had been detected in every bordering state.

Georgia 04/11/14 Hall County: Officials have issued a Rabies Alert for the Persimmon Tree Road area after a raccoon that was in contact with a dog tested positive for the virus. This is the fifth confirmed case of rabies found in the county this year. – See http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/98112/

New Hampshire 04/11/14 Rockingham County: A fox that attacked two children at the Don Ball Park in Derry on April 10th has tested positive for rabies. The animal knocked a boy down, and then bit a 5-year-old girl after she came down a slide. Police and wildlife officials finally cornered the animal in nearby woods and killed it, but in the interim the fox also attacked a porcupine and dog. – See http://www.wmur.com/news/fox-that-attacked-children-tests-positive-for-rabies/25438202

New Jersey 04/11/14 Monmouth County: Health officials have issued a Rabies Alert for the Middletown area after two raccoons tested positive for the virus this week. The first was found in the vicinity of Michael Drive off Nutswamp Road, and the second was found in the vicinity of Essex Street and Bray Avenue in the northern section of the township. – See http://www.ahherald.com/newsbrief/local-news/17351-rabies-alert-in-middletown

Jerry Genesio

Author of "UNSEEN HAZARDS That Threaten Hunters, Campers, and Hikers: What you should know about pathogens commonly found in wildlife."

This is where wildlife and healthcare professionals, hunters, campers, hikers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts will find interesting information about natural unseen hazards that place them at risk. As my book focused exclusively on Rabies, Tetanus (Lockjaw), Tularemia (Rabbit Fever), Brucellosis (Undulant Fever), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Borrelia (Lyme Disease), posts regarding these six diseases will be limited to more recent developments and items of interest that were not included or were not available when the book was published in June of 2009. Topics will also include Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and other diseases of particular interest to those who work and play in the great American outdoors.

Don’t Be Afraid – Be Aware!

The Natural Unseen Hazards blog is available to all free of charge and is maintained as a public service.

If you have questions related to pathogens commonly found in wildlife, e.g. the disease caused by a specific pathogen, hosts, vectors, symptoms, treatment, territorial range, etc., please comment here or e-mail to jerrygenesio@gmail.com and I will attempt to provide answers.

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur

Unless otherwise noted, images have been provided by the CDC Public Health Image Library, Wikimedia Commons, the National Park Service or other government agencies, Bing.com, and/or Google.com.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Marie Curie

"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."
Jackie Joyner Kersee